United We Stand
by The Devil's Burning Rose
Summary: The Triwizard Tournament is all about three schools-Hogwarts, Beauxbatons and Durmstrang- competing against each other for eternal glory. So no one expected the four champions- Harry Potter, Cedric Diggory, Fleur Delacour and Viktor Krum- to join together...and form a band...
1. Formation

**Formation**

_**Hello everybody! This is my first Harry Potter story- this idea has been at me for ages so I had to write it out properly. I hope you all enjoy this new story. I own nothing in this story except the plot.**_

'You stink Potter!' 'Potter Stinks!' 'You stink!'

Yeah, like I don't already know that?

This was not what was supposed to happen. There was only supposed to be _one _Hogwarts Triwizard Champion, not two. But someone must have tampered with the Goblet of Fire and put my name in. Now, instead of three Triwizard Champions, there are four- Viktor Krum for Durmstrang, Fleur Delacour for Beauxbatons, Cedric Diggory for Hogwarts, and me, Harry Potter for Hogwarts.

Yes. Me. A fourteen-year-old boy competing in the Triwizard Tournament. This was not supposed to happen.

And because I'm in the Triwizard Tournament, everybody hates me. They all believe that I put my name in so I'd get even more attention. Even my best friend- now my ex-best friend- Ron Weasley believes that. It's been a week since then and he still won't talk to me.

I've still got my other best friend, Hermione Granger, and I'm thankful for that, but all Hermione wants to do is go to the library and work, work, work, all the time. Still, I shouldn't really complain. She is always there to help me with my homework.

But it's still not the same. I miss Ron and going to the library is very boring.

The only good thing so far is Divination classes have been cancelled for now. Professor Trelawney is off somewhere I don't know, and I don't really care. I hate Divination.

Instead of Divination, I have a free period and I've been spending it in the Room of Requirement. I discovered it by accident when I was wandering around the Seventh Floor corridor. It's filled with a lot of old books and tables and all that junk, but I don't care. It's the only place where I can be alone. Away from all the jeering, the laughs, the torture.

The torture kills me inside. It's not fair! I never wanted to be in this stupid tournament! I don't want eternal glory.

Why can't I be a normal wizard? All I'm ever going to be is Harry Potter, 'The Boy Who Lived'. I would give anything- and I mean _anything_- to be able to say 'It's been thirteen years. Get over it!' What I would give to be a normal wizard in training with parents.

Anything.

For some reason, whenever I am in the Room of Requirement, I find myself singing a song. It's not a special song, but I've always known it for some reason.

I'm singing it again today, leaning against the window, looking out at everyone else. I can see them, but they can't see me, and I'm thankful for that. Absent-mindedly, I start to sing.

'_Sun goes down,_

_And we are here together..._

_Fireflies glow like_

_A thousand charms...'_

As I sing, in my head, I hear someone else sing with me. In the very back of my mind, I can see someone, a woman holding a little baby in her arms, singing to him.

My mother, holding me gently, her voice soothing me to sleep.

'_Stay with me,_

_And you can dream forever,_

_Right here in my arms...'_

I can't help but cry a little when I sing that. I can't really remember Mum or Dad, but even so, everyday I miss them. Ever since, they were taken away from me by Lord Voldemort, I've missed them.

'_It's magic,_

_When you are here beside me_

_Close your eyes,_

_And let me hold you tight..._

_Everything that I could ever need is_

_Right here in my arms... tonight...'_

I close my eyes, remembering vaguely, how my mother used to hold me safely in her arms, pressing her lips gently against my forehead.

'_Sounds of day... fade away..._

_Stars begin to climb..._

_Melodies... fill the breeze..._

_Sweeter all the time..._

_Sweeter all... the time...'_

I open my eyes, wiping away the tears. The memory returns to my mind, where it'll stay until it comes out again.

Suddenly my ears prick in fright. I can hear clapping. Someone steps out and I blush bright red.

'_Trés bien _Harry!' smiles Fleur Delacour, walking towards me. _'Merveilleux.'_

'Oh, uh- hello Fleur. W-what are you d-doing here?' I stammer, jumping off the windowsill. 'I was walking down the corridor, reading when I heard you singing. I was so intrigued, I had to find who it was. And I have.' she explains. I feel like an oven has turned on inside me, I'm so embarrassed. 'There iiz no need to be eembarrassed Harry. You have a beautiful voice.' she says. My face turns even redder.

Fleur sits down on the windowsill beside me. 'Vere did you learn zat song Harry?' she asks. 'My mother used to sing to me when I was a baby. It always got me to sleep.' I say. Oh shit, the tears are coming again. I get a surprise when Fleur puts her arms round me.

'I am sorry Harry. I did not mean to upset you.' she says. 'Oh, I'm alright. It just... hurts a little sometimes. And it hurts now when everyone's turned against me.' I say. Fleur gives me a hug and a tissue to dry my tears.

'I didn't put my name in the Goblet of Fire Fleur. I don't want 'eternal glory'. Sometimes I would give anything to be a normal wizard. Not 'The Boy Who Lived' Harry Potter. Just Harry Potter. I've had enough faces with death to last me a lifetime. I would never enter something that could cost me my life.' I say.

'Harry...' says Fleur, her eyes wide with shock. I shouldn't have said that. I should not have said any of that.

'Harry, I am so sorry that I didn't believe you that night. Now that I see how you really feel about it, makes me feel truly ashamed of myself for not believing you. I am truly sorry.' she says. 'Thank you Fleur. You had no reason to believe me that night.' I answer. She pulls me into a hug and we cling to each other tightly.

After a few minutes, we stand up and wander around the room together, looking through the junk. Suddenly Fleur stops in front of something. She moves away the books on top and lifts the lid. It's a piano.

'Wonderful!' she says, pulling up an old chair. 'You play?' I ask, surprised. 'Yes, since I was six.' she answers.

Fleur starts to play another song I recognise. I look at her for permission, then I start to sing.

'_Making my way downtown._

_Walking fast_

_Faces pass_

_And I'm home bound._

_Staring blankly ahead,_

_Just making my way,_

_Making a way_

_Through the crowd._

_And I need you_

_And I miss you_

_And now I wonder..._

_If I could fall_

_Into the sky,_

_Do you think time_

_Would pass me by?_

'_Cause you know, I'd walk_

_A thousand miles_

_If I could just see you... tonight.'_

I start to grin happily. Fleur smiles as well as her fingers fly over the piano keys.

'_It's always times like these_

_When I think of you._

_And I wonder if you ever_

_Think of me._

'_Cause everything's so wrong_

_And I don't belong_

_Living in your precious memory._

'_Cause I need you._

_And I miss you._

_And now I wonder..._

_If I could fall_

_Into the sky _

_Do you think time_

_Could pass me by?_

'_Cause you know I'd walk_

_A thousand miles_

_If I could just see you... tonight.'_

Fleur lets out a little laugh as she plays more. The both of us start singing the next part together.

_(Both)_

'_And I... I..._

_Don't want to let you go_

_I... I..._

_Drown in your memory_

_I... I..._

_Don't want to let this go_

_I... I..._

_Don't...'_

_(Harry)_

'_Making my way downtown_

_Walking fast,_

_Faces pass_

_And I'm homebound._

_(Fleur)_

'_Staring blankly ahead_

_Just making my way,_

_Making a way_

_Through the crowd._

_(Both)_

'_And I still need you._

_And I still miss you._

_And now, I wonder...'_

_(Harry)_

'_If I could fall,_

_Into the sky,_

_Do you think time,_

_Could pass us by?'_

_(Fleur)_

''_Cause you know, I'd walk_

_A thousand miles,_

_If I could just see you..._

_Oh...'_

_(Both)_

'_If I could fall,_

_Into the sky,_

_Do you think time_

_Would pass me by?_

'_Cause you know, I'd walk_

_A thousand miles_

_If I could just see you..._

_If I could just hold you..._

_Tonight.'_

Fleur plays the last few notes, the both of us taking deep breaths. When she finishes, we both grin at each other.

'Wow! I have to say, that was great fun!' she says. I laugh happily. 'Yes it was. I think we sounded pretty good!' I say.

Suddenly we hear more clapping! Fleur and I whip around in shock.

'Wow, you guys were just brilliant!' says Cedric as he and Viktor walk out from behind a pile of junk! Oh hell! Fleur smiles at them sweetly. 'Thank you gentlemen.' she says. I turn away, my face the colour of my Quidditch robes.

'I did not know that you could sing Harry.' says Viktor, coming up behind me. I turn and give him a shaky smile. 'Guess it's just a hidden talent.' I joke.

Cedric puts his arm around me. 'Don't look so embarrassed Harry. You're fantastic!' he says. I shrug sadly. 'Sure I am. Now, you can tell your friends that you caught the attention-seeking Potter caterwauling.' I say sarcastically. Cedric tilts my head to look at him. 'Do you really think that I would do that to you Harry?' he asks.

I look at him for a moment. I see the look in his eyes. He's serious. He'd never tell. 'In fact, do you think _you _can keep one of _my _secrets?' he asks. I nod slowly. With a smile, Cedric searches through the junk for a few seconds and then pulls out another instrument. A guitar.

'You play ze guitar Cedric?' asks Fleur excitedly. 'Well... a little bit. When my dad's not around.' he answers softly. He tests it for the correct key and then starts to play.

'_Imagine there's no heaven..._

_It's easy if you try._

_No hell below us,_

_Above us only sky._

_Imagine all the people,_

_Living for today..._

_Imagine there's no countries._

_It isn't hard to do._

_Nothing to kill or die for,_

_And no religion too._

_Imagine all the people_

_Living life in peace..._

_You may say I'm a dreamer,_

_But I'm not the only one._

_I hope someday, you'll join us,_

_And the world will be as one.'_

Fleur, Viktor and I break out in applause when Cedric finishes. 'That was fantastic Cedric! You were amazing!' I tell him. 'Ah, no. I'm not really.' he says, smiling a little. 'Yes you were! Do not deny it!' grins Fleur.

I turn to Viktor. 'Can you sing Viktor?' I ask. He shakes his head. 'No, not really. But I can play an instrument.' he answers. He looks around at all the junk, then notices something sticking out from underneath an old curtain. He pulls it aside to reveal a drum kit. Picking up two sticks, Viktor sits down.

'This should be good.' Cedric whispers to me.

And it is. Not just good, _brilliant._ Viktor performs an amazing solo on the drums; Fleur's mouth drops open in surprise. When Viktor finishes, we give him a round of applause. 'That was great Viktor!' says Cedric. 'Even Bulgarians have a hidden talent!' jokes Viktor.

'I wonder what it would sound like if we all play together.' says Fleur. Cedric and I look at one another. 'It's worth trying out.' I say.

So Cedric picks up the guitar, Fleur sits down at the piano, Viktor taps his drumsticks and I take a deep breath, clear my throat. They start to play, I start to sing.

_'Today is gonna be the day_  
_That they're gonna throw it back to you_  
_By now you should've somehow_  
_Realized what you gotta do_  
_I don't believe that anybody_  
_Feels the way I do about you now_

_Backbeat the word was on the street_  
_That the fire in your heart is out_  
_I'm sure you've heard it all before_  
_But you never really had a doubt_  
_I don't believe that anybody feels_  
_The way I do about you now_

_And all the roads we have to walk are winding_  
_And all the lights that lead us there are blinding_  
_There are many things that I would_  
_Like to say to you_  
_But I don't know how_

_Because maybe_  
_You're gonna be the one that saves me_  
_And after all_  
_You're my wonderwall.'_

'Wow, we actually sound pretty good together.' says Cedric. 'Yeah...maybe we should form a band?' I suggest. I don't think they'll take me seriously.

'Yes we should! We sound great together!' says Fleur. 'Yes- this will surprise everybody!' agrees Viktor. 'Absolutely, why shouldn't we?' grins Cedric. I look at the three smiling faces and I have to smile back. For the first time since my name came out of the Goblet of Fire, I feel really happy.

'Vat should we call our band?' asks Viktor. 'What do you think Harry?' Cedric asks me. I think about it for a few minutes. Then I've got it.

'How about... 'United We Stand'?' I suggest. 'I like it!' says Fleur. 'It works great!' agrees Viktor. 'Then 'United We Stand' it is.' smiles Cedric.

Suddenly the bell goes off. 'Oh shoot!' I grumble. 'We've gotta go. When should we meet again?' asks Cedric.

We all agree to meet up again tomorrow at the break and practice for an hour. Then we all go our seperate ways; Fleur to her carraige, Viktor to his ship, Cedric to his Muggle Studies class and me to my Transfiguration class.

I collapse into my seat next to Hermione. 'Have a good break Harry?' she asks, getting out her books. 'Yes thanks.' I say, ignoring the death stares from Ron. For the first time since the Goblet of Fire, I feel really happy.

**And that's the end of the first chapter! Let me know what you all thought! Please rate and review and let me know if I should continue!**


	2. First Practice

**First Practice**

_**Wow. All I can say is 'wow'. Seven reviews, fourteen favorites and twenty-two followers- all for **_**one chapter?! **_**Guys I am so happy that so many of you liked my idea and want me to continue this!**_

_**I'd like to respond to FireWolfAuthor about their make a very good point about the auditory medium and the songs. I will keep their songs country for now, but I am going to change them later on. Plus don't forget that they are at Hogwarts, where magic can change anything. But thank you for your review and criticism.**_

_**I hope that you all enjoy this new chapter. I own nothing in this story. Nothing whatsoever.**_

The bell rings for break at long last. I gather up my things quickly, feeling a little excited. Hermione says goodbye and heads off to her third home- the library. I rush off to the Room of Requirement.

I am happy, but also a little nervous. What if they don't turn up? Maybe they're hiding somewhere else, laughing at the thought of sad, little Harry Potter waiting for the three 'band members' that are never going to come... the thought of that makes me feel sick.

Reaching the door, I stop and look at it for a moment. I've been looking forward to going back since yesterday, but now I'm here, I don't want to go in. They won't be there, I know. No doubt they're rushing around, telling everyone that Harry Potter actually though that he was in an actual _band_ and saying what an idiot I am-

'Are you just gonna stand there or are you coming in?'

I blink. There's Cedric, peering around the door, smiling at me. I smile at him and let him pull me inside.

'_Zere _you are Harry!' says Fleur, sitting at the piano. Viktor waves a drumstick at me in greeting. I smile at them, the worry in my stomach withering away. 'Are you ready to rumble?' asks Cedric. 'Which song should we try today?' I say.

'I've got a good one! Anybody hear of a girl called Taylor Swift?' says Cedric. I blink in surprise. I didn't expect Cedric to know about Muggle music. He sees my expression. 'My mum's a Muggle.' he explains. 'Ah.' I nod. 'Please do not say it's _Love Story!' _pleads Viktor. '_Fearless.' _grins Cedric and Viktor sighs with relief.

'I don't really know it _that _well, but I'll give it a shot.' I say. 'I'll sing with you Harry.' Cedric tells me. 'Alright, let's get zis started!' grins Fleur, spreading out her fingers on the piano keys. Cedric picks up his guitar and says 'One, two, three, go!' Viktor taps out a beat and we begin.

_(Cedric)_

'_There's somethin' 'bout the way,_

_The street looks when it's just rained,_

_There's a glow off the pavement,_

_You walk me to the car,_

_And you know I wanna ask you to dance right there,_

_In the middle of the parking lot, yeah._

Oh yeah, I remember this song. My cousin Dudley Dursley has a secret crush on Taylor Swift and whenever Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia are not around, he turns on the music channel on the television and sings along to her (very badly!). I think I remember some of the words so I start to sing too.

_(Harry)_

'_We're drivin' down the road,_

_I wonder if you know,_

_I'm tryin' so hard, not to get caught up now,_

_But you're just so cool,_

_Run your hands through your hair,_

_Absent-mindedly making me want you._

Cedric grins at me and we both start to sing the chorus.

_(Harry and Cedric)_

'_And I don't know how it gets better than this,_

_You take my hand and drag me head first,_

_Fearless._

_And I don't know why, but with you I'd dance_

_In a storm in my best dress_

_Fearless.'_

Fleur laughs a little as we sing, her fingers dancing gracefully over the piano keys. Viktor lets out a laugh himself as he beats down on the drums as if his life depended on it.

_(Cedric)_

'_So baby drive slow, 'til we run out of road,_

_In this one horse town, I wanna stay right here,_

_In this passenger seat, you put your eyes on me._

_In this moment now, capture it from memory._

_(Harry and Cedric)_

''_Cause I don't how it gets better than this,_

_You take my hand and drag me head first,_

_Fearless._

_And I don't know why, but with you I'd dance,_

_In a storm in my best dress,_

_Fearless.'_

Cedric strums his guitar so fast, I'm surprised his fingers aren't bleeding! 'Your turn Harry.' he says.

_(Harry)_

'_Well you stood there in me in the doorway,_

_My hands shake_

_I'm not usually this way,_

_You pull me in and I'm a little more brave,_

_It's the first kiss, it's flawless, really something..._

_It's fearless._

_Oh... yeah. '_

''_Cause I don't know how it gets better than this,_

_You take my hand and drag me head first,_

_Fearless!'_

_(Harry and Cedric)_

'_And I don't know why, but with you I'd dance._

_In a storm in my best dress._

_Fearless._

'_Cause I don't know how it gets better than this,_

_You take my hand and drag me head first,_

_Fearless._

_And I don't know why, but with you I'd dance,_

_In a storm in my best dress,_

_Fearless!_

_Oh... oh.,,, yeah.'_

The four of us cheer as we finish the song. Viktor tosses his drumsticks in the air and catches them expertly. 'That was great!' he says.

I grin at Cedric. 'I have to say Cedric Diggory, you have a great taste in music!' I say. 'Aw thanks!' he answers sarcastically, but he's laughing.

_A few days later..._

'Are you ever going to talk to Ron again, Harry?' asks Hermione as we head down the corridor to Charms. 'Only if he apologises for thinking I put my name in the Goblet of Fire. And then I _might _consider talking to him again Hermione.' I tell her. She shakes her head at me, smiling.

Suddenly we hear shouting coming from down the hallway. Hermione and I look at each other and then rush down to see what's happening.

'I told you to get rid of those _stupid badges!'_ roars Cedric, grabbing one of his friends' robes and ripping one of the _Support Cedric Diggory/ Potter Stinks _badges off of his chest. 'Aw come on Cedric! It was only a bit of fun!' says his friend angrily. 'Why the hell are you defending Potter anyway? He's nothing but a good-for-nothing, attention seeking-' another Hufflepuff is saying but is suddenly knocked flying as Cedric punches him right across the face. He points his wand at his friends, his face burning with anger.

'_Harry _is my friend and if you dare insult him again, I swear I will kill you!' he growls. Then he storms off down the corridor.

Hermione and I stare at each other in shock. I didn't know Cedric felt so strongly about those badges. I definitely have to thank him later.

_Later..._

'I'll see you later Hermione.' I say, heading out of the Great Hall. 'Where are you going?' she asks. 'To the common room to do my homework.' I lie smoothly. 'Okay, I'll see you later.' she says, rushing off to the library.

I wait until she turns the corner, out of sight and then I rush off to the Seventh Floor. I concentrate fiercely on the thought of the Room of Requirement and sure enough, when I reach the end of the corridor, there is the door, waiting for me. I hurry inside.

'Hello Harry!' greets Fleur smiling at me. 'Hey there Fleur.' I say, dumping my bag on an old chair. Viktor comes rushing in, gasping for breath. 'I am sorry that I'm late, but Karkaroff kept me back to speak to me about the Tournament and would not let me leave.' he explains, gasping for breath. 'You're alright Viktor. We're still waiting for Cedric, you're right on time.' I tell him.

A few minutes later, Cedric comes in, with a face like thunder. 'Are you alright Cedric?' asks Fleur gently. 'I'm fine Fleur. Some of the Hufflepuffs were still wearing those _stupid _badges and I got really angry with them.' he explains. 'I know. I saw what you did.' I tell him quietly. Cedric looks at me, very embarrassed. 'Sorry Harry. It wasn't fair on you.' he says. 'It's okay. And thanks Cedric.' I say to him, a small smile creeping up on my face.

'Shall we start practicing?' I ask, after a minute. 'Yes, what shall we sing?' asks Fleur. 'I've got it! Get your instruments ready!' I say. Viktor taps out the beat and the fun begins.

'_Did you forget,_

_That I was even alive?_

_Did you forget,_

_Everything we ever had?_

_Did you forget,_

_Did you forget... about me?_

_Did you regret,_

_Ever standing by my side?_

_Did you forget,_

_What we were feeling inside?_

_Now I'm left,_

_To forget... about us._

_But somewhere, we went wrong._

_We were once so strong,_

_Our love is like a song,_

_You can't forget it.'_

I close my eyes as I sing, while Viktor taps out a soft beat on the drums.

'_So now I guess, _

_This is where we have to stand,_

_Did you regret,_

_Ever holding my hand?_

_Never again, please don't forget,_

_Don't forget._

_We had it all._

_We were just about to fall,_

_Even more in love,_

_Than we were before._

_I won't forget,_

_Please don't forget... about us._

_But somewhere we went wrong,_

_We were once so strong._

_Our love is like a song,_

_You can't forget it.'_

Viktor beats down on the drums, Fleur's fingers glide over the piano, Cedric strums his guitar, I breath in deeply and open my mouth again.

'_Somewhere, we went wrong._

_We were once so strong,_

_Our love is like a song._

_You can't forget it, at all._

_And at last,_

_All the pictures had been burned._

_All the past,_

_Is just a lesson that we learned._

_I won't forget,_

_Please don't forget...us.'_

We slow down as we reach the last chorus. Fleur plays the tune quietly and I sing once more.

'_Somewhere we went wrong,_

_Our love is like a song._

_But you won't sing along,_

_You've forgotten... about... us.'_

'Was that good or what?' laughs Cedric. We all laugh, me gasping for breath.

'Yes it _was _good. More than good, actually.' says a voice. We all whip around.

Oh... shit.

**To Be Continued. I'll try and update sometime next week or the week after. Until next- please rate and review.**


	3. Dragons!

**Dragons!**

_**Hey everybody! I am so happy with the feedback that this story is getting. I didn't expect so many people to like it! In response to Angry lil' elf, your wish has been granted! There's a Nickelback song waiting in this chapter! And speaking of songs, I changed one of the songs in chapter 1 as I think I made the wrong choice. Anyway, please emjoy this new chapter. I own nothing whatsoever.**_

'I see you're really busy with your homework Harry.' says Hermione, arms folded. The four of us stare at her, dumbstruck.

'Her-Hermione, w-what are you doing here?' I stammer. 'I was looking for you in the Gryffindor common room and Ron told me he'd seen you heading down the Seventh Floor corridor.' she says. Oh, damn you Ron Weasley! When I get my hands on you...!

'I can explain Hermione-' I start to say but she cuts me off. 'You don't have to Harry. This is just... something I didn't expect to happen. And besides- from what I heard, you guys were brilliant!' she says to me. 'Aw thanks.' I say sarcastically.

'But please- Hermione, is it?' asks Cedric. Hermione nods. 'Don't spread the word about this. We're keeping it a secret for now. With all that's been happening lately... I think you see where I'm coming from.' he says. 'Oh, I do. But don't worry guys. I'll keep your secret... if you do one thing for me.' says Hermione.

Oh no. What does she want us to do? Spend the entire day studying with her? Read extremely long and complicated spell books?

'What do you want?' asks Fleur. 'Will you sing another song?' asks Hermione. Oh. Well, alright then! 'That's easily solved! Shall we guys?' says Cedric, tuning his guitar. I grin at Hermione, then at the others and we start the magic.

_(Harry)_

'_Well, I know the feeling_

_Of finding yourself stuck out on the ledge_

_And there ain't no healing_

_From cutting yourself with the jagged edge.'_

This song really connects with me. This is how I've been feeling, ever since my name came out of the Goblet of Fire.

_(Cedric)_

'_I'm telling you that, it's never that bad_

_Take it from someone who's been where you're at_

_Laid out on the floor_

_And you're not sure you can take this anymore.'_

But at least I have Cedric, Fleur and Viktor to have fun with.

_(Harry and Cedric)_

'_So just give it one more try to a lullaby_

_And turn this up on the radio_

_If you can hear me now_

_I'm reaching out_

_To let you know that you're not alone_

_And if you can't tell, I'm scared as hell_

_'Cause I can't get you on the telephone_

_So just close your eyes_

_Oh, honey here comes a lullaby_

_Your very own lullaby.'_

_(Cedric)_

'_Please let me take you_

_Out of the darkness and into the light_

_'Cause I have faith in you_

_That you're gonna make it through another night.'_

_(Harry)_

'_Stop thinking about the easy way out_

_There's no need to go and blow the candle out_

_Because you're not done_

_You're far too young_

_And the best is yet to come.'_

_(Harry and Cedric)_

'_So just give it one more try to a lullaby_

_And turn this up on the radio_

_If you can hear me now_

_I'm reaching out_

_To let you know that you're not alone_

_And if you can't tell, I'm scared as hell_

_'Cause I can't get you on the telephone_

_So just close your eyes_

_Oh, honey here comes a lullaby_

_Your very own lullaby.'_

_(Harry)_

'_Well, everybody's hit the bottom_

_Everybody's been forgotten_

_When everybody's tired of being alone.'_

_(Cedric)_

'_Yeah, everybody's been abandoned_

_And left a little empty handed_

_So if you're out there barely hanging on...'_

_(Harry and Cedric)_

'_Just give it one more try to a lullaby_

_And turn this up on the radio_

_If you can hear me now_

_I'm reaching out_

_To let you know that you're not alone_

_And if you can't tell, I'm scared as hell_

_'Cause I can't get you on the telephone_

_So just close your eyes_

_Oh, honey here comes a lullaby_

_Your very own lullaby_

_Oh, honey here comes a lullaby_

_Your very own lullaby.' _

Hermione applauds us, smiling delightedly. 'Wow! You champions are amazing! Do you guys have a name?' she asks. 'We are 'United We Stand', Hermione.' I tell her. 'A perfect name!' she compliments.

_A few days later..._

Cedric... Cedric... where are you? I walk through the corridors, ignoring the calls of 'Potter Stinks!', my eyes searching for the Hufflepuff Champion. I know what the First Task is. And I have no doubt that Fleur and Viktor know too. Cedric's the only one who has no idea what's coming. I have to tell him and I have to tell him fast.

At last, I see Cedric with some of his friends, outside in the courtyard. He sits up when he sees me, his friends catcalling at me.

'Can I have a word?' I ask. 'Alright.' he says and we head behind a bush away from his friends.

'Dragons. That's the First Task. They've got one for each of us.' I say. Cedric looks at me in shock. 'Are- are you serious?' he asks. I nod. 'And Fleur and Viktor- do they know?' 'No doubt.' I say.

I start to move off, but he grabs my arm. 'Room of Requirement, same time tonight?' he whispers. I nod, smiling a little. 'See you then.' I say.

_A little while later..._

I stare at the book, lying on a table in front of me. I point with my wand, concentrating fiercely.

'_Accio book!'_

The book rises and starts coming towards me. I reach out, ready to grab it-

'Hello Harry.'

I jump in fright, the book falling to the ground. Damnit! Just when I was getting the hang of it!

'Sorry! I didn't mean to scare you.' says Viktor. 'Oh it's okay. I was just practicing something for the First Task.' I tell him. 'Ah, so you know?' he asks. 'Yeah. What have you got planned for it?' I ask him. Viktor just smirks at me. 'That would be telling!' he says cheekily. I just laugh.

'Hello!' 'Boujour!'

'Hey guys!' we greet Cedric and Fleur. 'Do you about the task Harry?' asks Fleur. 'Yes I do. And I know what I'm doing for it.' I tell her. 'What is it?' 'I'm not telling!' I grin.

'Alright, how about we forget about the First Task for now and practice some music?' suggests Cedric. 'Agreed!' I say.

So after a few minutes of thinking, we pick a song to practice.

'_Chill out, what you yellin' for?_

_Lay back, it's all been done before_

_And if, you could only let it be_

_You will see_

_I like, you the way you are_

_When we're drivin' in your car_

_And you're, talkin' to me one on one_

_But you become_

_Somebody else_

_'Round everyone else_

_Your watchin' your back_

_Like you can't relax_

_You tryin' to be cool_

_You look like a fool to me_

_Tell me_

_Why'd you have to go and make things so complicated?_

_I see the way you're actin' like you're somebody else_

_Gets me frustrated_

_Life's like this you_

_You fall and you crawl and you break_

_And you take what you get, and you turn it into_

_Honestly, you promised me_

_I'm never gonna find you fake it_

_No no no_

_You come over unannounced_

_Dressed up, like you're somethin' else_

_Where you are ain't where it's at you see_

_You're makin' me_

_Laugh out, when you strike a pose_

_Take off, all your preppy clothes_

_You know, you're not foolin' anyone_

_When you become_

_Somebody else_

_'Round everyone else_

_Your watchin' your back_

_Like you can't relax_

_You tryin' to be cool_

_You look like a fool to me_

_Tell me_

_Why'd you have to go and make things so complicated? _

_I see the way you're actin' like you're somebody else_

_Gets me frustrated_

_Life's like this you_

_You fall and you crawl and you break_

_And you take what you get, and you turn it into_

_Honestly, you promised me_

_I'm never gonna find you fake it_

_No no no_

_No no no_

_No no no_

_No no no_

_No no_

_Chill out, what you yellin' for?_

_Lay back, it's all been done before_

_And if you could only let it be_

_You will see_

_Somebody else_

_'Round everyone else_

_Your watchin' your back_

_Like you can't relax_

_You tryin' to be cool_

_You look like a fool to me_

_Tell me_

_Why'd you have to go and make things so complicated?_

_I see the way you're actin' like you're somebody else_

_Gets me frustrated_

_Life's like this, you_

_You fall and you crawl and you break_

_And you take what you get, and you turn it into_

_Honestly, you promised me_

_I'm never gonna find you fake it_

_No no_

_Why'd you have to go and make things so complicated?_

_I see the way you're actin' like you're somebody else_

_Gets me frustrated_

_Life's like this you_

_You fall and you crawl and you break_

_And you take what you get, and you turn it into_

_Honestly, you promised me_

_I'm never gonna find you fake it_

_No no no.'_

'You know, if we can handle being in a secret band, I think we can handle what's going to happen in the First Task.' says Cedric. 'You're right. We can do zis.' agrees Fleur. 'Absolutely.' says Viktor. And I couldn't agree more myself.

**To Be Continued. Next chapter is the First Task... and Harry finally reconciles with Ron. Until next time- rate and review!**


	4. The First Task

**The First Task**

_**Hello! Guys, I am thrilled with the response this story is getting! It's fantastic! Keep it coming! Now let's start this new chapter! I own nothing in this story whatsoever.**_

'Potter, a word please.' says Professor McGonagall, after Transfiguration. 'I'll wait for you Harry.' Hermione assures me. So, while everyone heads for lunch, I go up to Professor McGonagall.

'Potter, all of the champions are to report to the stadium at eight-thirty this evening.' she tells me. 'Yes Professor.' I say as calm as I can. Inside, my insides are twisted in fear.

Because the First Task of the Triwizard Tournament is _tomorrow!_ Tomorrow, I'm facing a fire- breathing dragon and try and escape alive! But at least I'm not the only one facing a dragon.

When I reach the stadium later on, I see a tent set up nearby. Fleur is waiting outside. 'Come on Harry.' she says. We go inside.

Inside, Viktor and Cedric are sitting at a large table, piled high with food. 'We're all staying here for the night.' Cedric explains to me. Fleur and I sit down.

I try to eat some food, but I don't really have any appetite. Fleur eats a salad, Viktor has sausages, Cedric manages some chips but I can't eat anything. 'Eat something Harry, you need to keep your strength up.' says Viktor. I just shake my head. 'I'm not hungry.' I tell him. 'Not even for chocolate cake?' Fleur points out the three tier cake but I just shake my head. 'Don't make me have to feed you Harry! Because I'll do it! I don't care!' teases Cedric, a smirk on his face. 'Okay, okay!' I say, grabbing a slice of cake.

'Don't worry Harry. You're not the only one who's nervous.' Fleur assures me. I look at the others and see that she's right. Fleur herself is more paler than usual, Cedric has dark rings under his eyes and Viktor's fingers are covered with hangnails where he's been digging into them. Fleur's right, I shouldn't be scared so much.

As soon as we've eaten as much as we can, the food disappears. 'We should try and get some sleep- especially you, Cedric. We've got a big day tomorrow.' says Viktor. 'What are you talking about Viktor? I'm-' Cedric is cut off by a huge yawn. Fleur and I snicker. 'Alright, bed.'

I reach my bed and grab the curtain. 'Goodnight guys.' I say. 'Goodnight Harry.' yawns Cedric and Viktor. 'Sweet dreams.' says Fleur. I close my curtain and collapse on my bed.

_Five minutes later..._

I open my curtain. Cedric opens his curtain too. 'Okay, I can't sleep.' I say. 'Me neither. Everytime I close my eyes, I see a vicious dragon that wants to bite my head off!' Cedric tells me. Fleur and Viktor open their curtains. 'Can't sleep?' asks Viktor. 'Nope.' 'I'm starting to wish I didn't enter zis tournament.' sighs Fleur.

'I didn't even want to be in this in the first place. I only entered because I knew it would make my dad happy.' grumbles Cedric. 'Really?' I blink at him. 'Yeah. Ever since he and my mum divorced, he's wanted me to be a shining example to him. The Perfect Prefect of the Diggory family. And I hate it! He'll never let me be myself! Never!' he says sadly. 'And who are you when you are yourself?' asks Fleur. 'A shy Hufflepuff who likes to play the guitar.' answers Cedric. 'Yes, that's you Cedric.' I smile.

'I can never be myself either. Because of my beauty, many boys want to go out with me. But they only see me as...a kind of trophy. They never want to get to know me as a person. My ex- boyfriend cheated on me before I came here. He said it was because I was I didn't please him.' scowls Fleur. 'The only way I can escape is through the piano.' I squeeze her arm in sympathy.

'Don't get me started. Karkaroff is always at me to be the best at _everything_- at Quidditch, at my studies; I think you get the picture. No matter vat I do, he is always at me to do better and I am sick of it.' says Viktor. 'At least you can relieve your frustrations through the drums.' says Cedric. Viktor laughs a little.

'I know how you feel. I wish I was just one of the crowd, watching the Triwizard Tournament instead of actually _being _in it! And I hate everyone teasing me one minute, and the next, treating me like I'm a hero and staring at this.' I point at my lightning- bolt scar. 'People see it as a sign of heroism. I see it as a reminder that Vol- uh- You-Know-Who is still out there and that he took something I can never get back.' I stop and see them stare at me. I turn away and sit down, my head in my hands.

Someone sits down beside me and puts their arms round me. 'Harry Potter, you listen to me right now.' says Cedric. I lift up my head and look at him. 'You never asked to be in this stupid tournament, I know you didn't. But there is one good thing that came out of this, remember. We got together as a band, and as friends.' he tells me.

At hearing this, I smile. Cedric is right. If I wasn't in this tournament, United We Stand wouldn't exist.

Softly, Viktor taps out a beat on the table. Smiling, Fleur starts to sing.

_(Fleur)_

'_I can't pretend_

_To know how you feel_

_But know that I'm here_

_Know that I'm real.'_

Cedric grins at me and then starts to sing as well.

_(Cedric)_

'_Say what you want_

_Or don't talk at all.'_

_(Both)_

'_I'm not gonna let you fall,_

_Reach for my hand_

_'Cause it's held out for you_

_My shoulders are small_

_But you can cry on them too_

_Everything changes_

_But one thing is true_

_Understand_

_We'll always be more than a band_

_Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah_

_(Cedric)_

'_You used to brave the world_

_All on your own,_

_Now we won't let you go, go it alone'_

_(Fleur)_

'_Be who you wanna be_

_Always stand tall.'_

_(Both)_

'_Not gonna let you fall_

_Reach for my hand_

_'Cause it's held out for you_

_My shoulders are strong_

_But you can cry on them too_

_Everything changes_

_But one thing is true_

_Understand_

_We'll always be more than a band.'_

Slowly, the fear inside me fades away and I start to sing too.

_(Harry)_

'_I never knew you could take me so far_

_I've always wanted to hope that you are the ones I need.'_

_(All)_

'_Reach for my hand_

_'Cause it's held out for you_

_My shoulders are strong_

_But you can cry on them too_

_Everything changes_

_But one thing is true_

_Understand_

_We'll always be more than a band.'_

_(Harry)_

'_Reach for my hand_

_'Cause it's held out for you_

_My shoulders are strong_

_But you can cry on them too_

_Everything changes_

_But one thing is true_

_Understand_

_We'll always be more than a band...'_

Exhaustion starts to creep over me. 'I think we're ready for tomorrow now.' smiles Viktor. I nod tiredly and we all go to bed and- this time- to sleep.

_The next morning..._

The four of us pace around the tent in silence, dressed in our fancy robes for the task, waiting for the judges to arrive. I'm walking by the tent wall when I hear a noise.

'Psst! Psst!'

I edge a little closer.

'Harry! Is that you?' hisses a voice. Hermione! 'Yeah.' I whisper. 'How are you feeling? Nervous?... The key is to concentrate. After that you just have to...' 'Battle a dragon.' I finish. Suddenly I'm nearly knocked off my feet as Hermione throws herself into my arms.

FLASH!

We brake apart, a flashing light almost blinding us. I hear a delighted gasp.

Oh no, it's Rita Skeeter, that bloody reporter from _The Daily Prophet_! 'Young love!' she gushes. 'How... stirring. You know, if anything should go horribly wrong today, you two could make the front page!' she tells us. Oh great, that's the last thing I need right now!

'You have no business here! This place is for champions and friends!' growls Viktor, glaring colding at the woman. Rita Skeeter stiffens a little. 'No matter. We already got what we wanted.' she says before she and her photographer walk out of the tent. 'Thanks a lot Viktor.' I say. 'No problem Harry.' he grins.

Suddenly Professor Dumbledore comes in with Barty Crouch, Madame Maxine and Karkaroff. 'Good day, champions. Gather round, please. Now, you've waited. You've wondered. And at last, the moment has arrived. The moment only four of you can fully appreciate.' he says. Then he notices Hermione. 'What are you doing here, Miss Granger?' he asks. 'Oh, um.. Sorry, I'll just... go.' stammers Hermione, rushing out of the tent.

'Barty, the bag.' says Professor Dumbledore. Mr. Crouch produces a purple bag that for some reason, has smoke coming out of it. 'Champions, in a circle around me. Miss Delacour, over here. Mr. Krum, and a, Potter, Mr. Potter, over here. That's right.' When we're positioned in the way he wants us, he opens the bag. 'Now. Miss Delacour, if you will...'

Shaking, Fleur reaches in and pulls out a tiny green dragon. 'The Welsh Green.' says Mr. Crouch. 'Mr. Krum...' Viktor pulls out his dragon. 'The Chinese Fireball. Oooooh.' Cedric pulls out the third dragon. 'The Swedish Short-Snout. Which leaves...' I know what's left.

'The Horntail...' I whisper. 'What's that boy?' he demands. 'Nothing.' I say quickly, then I pull it out.

'The Hungarian Horntail. These represent four very real dragons, each of which has been given a golden egg to protect. Your objective is simple: collect the egg. This you must do, for each egg contains a clue without which you cannot hope to proceed to the next task. Any questions?' None of us say a word.

'Very well. Good luck champions. Mr. Diggory, at the sound of the cannon you need to...' Dumbledore says when-

**BOOM!**

The canon goes off, nearly collapsing the tent on all of us. It's time. Outside, the crowds are all chanting 'Diggory! Diggory!' Cedric starts to make his way to the flap, when he turns round and gives me a quick hug. 'Good luck.' I whisper. 'You too.' he hisses.

_A little while later..._

'Three of our champions have now faced their dragons! And now our fourth and final champion will now come to the stadium.' announces Dumbledore. I stand up, grasping my wand. I can do this, I can do this.

I step out into the arena. I look around at the crowds, I can hear them cheer and scream.

But where's the dragon? I don't see it anywhere.

In the middle of the stadium is the Golden Egg. I start to make my way towards it when-

I'm almost knocked flying by a huge spiked tail. I look up and see the Hungarian Horntail loom above me, roaring with all its might. I quickly get up and run away.

'Your wand Harry! Your wand!' I hear Hermione scream. I know what I have to now.

'_Accio Firebolt!'_ I scream, pointing my wand at the sky. I hope that worked. I duck behind a rock as the Horntail sends a blast of fire towards me. And then I see it, coming towards me.

My Firebolt.

I run further away from the dragon and jump on top of the Firebolt. I take off into the sky. But with a loud roar, the Hungarian Horntail breaks free from its chains and takes off after me.

I fly through the Hogwarts grounds, amongst the towers, hanging onto my broom with all my might, when I'm suddenly knocked off and sent tumbling through the air by the dragon. I grab a window ledge, hanging on for dear life. My Firebolt is above me, but I can't reach it.

The Horntail lands on top of the tower, coming closer and closer towards me. I manage to grab my broom and pull with all my strength. At last, it breaks free and I jump from the ledge. I take off once more.

Behind me, I hear a roar of frustration and I can feel fire heating the back of my neck. 'Come on!' I urge my broom. 'Go, go, go!'

Suddenly I feel a hot pain tear through my shoulder. The dragon's claw tears through my robes, cutting through my skin. I scream as the Horntail fall down from the viaduct.

But I force myself back up.

I urge my broom back to the stadium. As I fly closer, I hear the cheers and screams of relief as I finally grab the Golden Egg.

_In the Gryffindor Common Room..._

Everyone cheers as I hold my prize high in the air. 'Woah!' I gasp as Fred and George hoist me onto their shoulders.

'We knew you wouldn't die, Harry. Lose a leg... or an arm... pack it in altogether... Never! Ha, haa!' they yell happily. 'Open it Harry!' says Seamus. 'Who wants me to open it?' I ask. Everyone cheers. 'You want me to open it?' 'YEAH!' they scream. So I do.

An ear- splitting screeching sound erupts from the egg. Everyone covers their ears as I quickly shut it tight again. 'What the bloody hell was that?' asks a very familiar voice. I turn round and see Ron standing in the doorway.

Silence.

'Alright everyone, go back to your knitting. This is gonna be uncomfortable enough without all you nosey sods listening in.' says Fred. Everyone takes the hint and moves away and Ron steps towards me.

'Harry... I reckon you'd have to be barking mad to put your own name in the Goblet of Fire.' he says. Oh, now he's sorry. 'Caught on have you? Took you long enough.' I say coldly. 'I wasn't the only one who thought you'd done it. Everyone was saying it behind your back.' he says. 'Brilliant. That makes me feel loads better.' I answer.

'At least I warned you about the dragons.' he murmurs. Eh? 'Hagrid warned me about the dragons.' I say. 'No, no, no, don't you remember? I told Hermione to tell you that Seamus told me that Parvati told Dean that Hagrid was looking for you.' Then he blushes. 'Actually, Seamus never told me anything so it was- really me all along. I thought we'd be alright y'know after you figured that out.' he says.

I blink in shock. 'Who could possibly figure that out? That's completely mental!' I say. 'Yeah it is, isn't it? Suppose I was a bit distraught.' he answers. I roll my eyes and smile. 'Come here you red-headed idiot.' I say. Ron smiles and the two of us share a hug. Finally, I've got my best friend back!

'Boys!' says Hermione, dumbstruck.

**To Be Continued. Next chapter, Harry introduces Ron to his band- and then comes the talk of the Yule Ball! Until next time- R&R!**


	5. Who Said I Was Dancing?

**Who Said I Was Dancing?**

_**Hello everybody, the next chapter of 'United We Stand' is here. I read through the reviews to my last chapter and I would like to point a few things out.**_

_**1. Ron is NO WAY going to join the band! Plus, I've decided to change what's going to happen next. I've decided that Ron won't find out until the Yule Ball. Hopefully that will make everyone who reads this story feel better. **_

_**2. In response to In Starlight and in Shadows, those are some great song ideas, some of which I will use in the Yule Ball scene which is the next chapter.**_

_**3. I'm basically following the film at the moment so that's why Harry forgave Ron when he did.**_

_**Now I think we're ready to start the new chapter. I own nothing in this story whatsoever.**_

'Ah!' I wince in pain as I try to cut my bacon. But it's very difficult to eat when you've got one arm in a sling, let me tell you that! 'You alright mate?' asks Ron. I just shrug, sipping from my juice.

Just then, Nigel Wolpert comes up to us with a large brown package. 'Parcel for you Mr. Weasley.' he says to Ron. 'Thanks Nigel.' he says.

After sending Nigel on his way, Ron rips open the parcel to reveal-

'A dress. Mum sent me a dress.' he says in shock, showing me and Hermione the hideous maroon frilly dress. At least it looks like a dress! Ron hurries over to Ginny, the robes in his hands. 'Here Ginny, this is for you.' he says. 'I'm not wearing _that!_' she giggles. Ron looks bewildered.

Hermione's trying hard not to laugh. 'They're for _you!_' she tells him, laughing. 'Eh? For what?' gasps Ron.

_Later that day..._

Well, we soon find out.

Mr. Filch has set up a gramophone in the hall and Professor McGonagall has us all seated watching her.

'The Yule Ball is a traditional part of the Triwizard Tournament, a opportunity for us all to socialise with our guests. A dance.' she tells us.

A dance? Oh hell! I have two left feet!

'Mr. Weasley, you will join me in showing everybody how to dance.' Professor McGonagall says. Ron's eyes go wide in horror. She pulls him onto his feet and into the centre of the hall.

'Now, put your right hand on my waist.' she orders. 'Where?' Ron gasps. 'On my waist!' she orders. I struggle not to laugh at the look on Ron's face. Mr. Filch starts the music and we watch as they start to move around the room.

Suddenly, I'm really glad that my arm is injured, by the look on Ron's face! I call over Fred and George.

'Hey! You're never gonna let him forget this are you?' I whisper. 'Never.' they grin. 'Alright, everybody up!' orders Professor McGonagall. The girls all stand up immediately. Not one of us boys move. 'Boys! On your feet!'

_Gryffindor Tower that evening..._

'I'm telling you. McGonagall's mad in the head if she thinks I'm dancing at that ball.' Ron tells as we head towards the boys dormitory. Just then we hear someone humming in the dormitory.

We peer inside to see Neville Longbottom, prancing around the room, holding an invisible person. He must getting some practice for the Yule Ball. And he might as well. Don't get me wrong, Neville's great, but he's very clumsy.

_A few days later..._

I leave Ron playing Exploding Snap with Seamus and Dean, Hermione hiding behind yet another book and set off to the Room of Requirement. God only knows what Cedric, Fleur and Viktor think about this Yule Ball.

'Hey Harry!' greets Viktor. 'How's the arm?' asks Cedric. I just shrug. 'I'll survive.' I say. 'You've survived a lot.' comments Fleur. 'Don't start!'

'What about this Yule Ball though? Bloody hell!' cries Cedric, throwing his hands in the air. 'I know! I can't dance! At all!' I say. 'Plus who to take!' adds in Viktor. 'And what to wear!' cuts in Fleur.

'I thought facing a dragon was bad enough, but now I'd rather face one hundred of them than go to this Yule Ball!' I joke. 'Me too. I didn't expect something like this to be thrown in our faces.' laughs Viktor.

'Let's practice a song and try and get our minds off of the ball for a while.' suggests Cedric. We all agree and after a few minutes discussion. we decide on a song.

(Thousand Mile Wish by Finger Eleven)

_(Harry)_

'_Forgive me if now I wear the face of worry_

_This time alone could never cause any doubt_

_But I've been cold too long_

_Such a strange time to find myself coming down as the rain_

_With all these holes my love,_

_To fill up from the middle_

_This storm could stay all night'_

_(Cedric)_

'_So can you stay until we close our eyes_

_Til your dreams hold mine_

_Just stay until we know we tried one more time_

_Cause laughing lovers can overcome their closest demons_

_And they'll go on and they won't let go_

_They saw something that they know_

_Has never come so close_

_Can it stay here for us, for now?'_

_(Harry and Cedric)_

'_Can it stay until we know ourselves?_

_I'm torn as I tell_

_You're the story that I know and fell from_

_I'm so far into your story I don't know why_

_We think we're in control_

_When we lie between the lines'_

_(Harry)_

'_We'll find a line to follow_

_It's got to show real soon_

_Or we'll never reach this high'_

_(Cedric)_

'_We climb a little further_

_Cause there's nothing we can't get around together_

_Further gets colder until nothing was all that I saw around'_

_(Harry and Cedric)_

'_So we stay until the ground_

_That we can't come down from splits us away_

_Maybe stars know why we fall_

_I just wish they were thinking out loud_

_Oh, I could wish all night.'_

'That was a good one!' smiles Viktor. 'Yeah...' I say softly, drifting off in thought for a moment. 'Are you alright Harry?' asks Fleur. I nod slowly. 'Guys, I think I have an idea.' I say. The four of us huddle up and I start to explain.

When I finish, everyone is grinning. 'That, Harry Potter is a great idea!' says Cedric.

_A few days later..._

Ron, Hermione and I are in the Great Hall studying. My arm is better now, so it's back to the parchment, unfortunately! Ron is complaining because he still hasn't got a date. 'At this rate, we'll be the only ones in our year without dates!' he says to me before Professor Snape whacks him across the head.

'Well apart from Neville.' he whispers. 'Well, Neville can take himself.' I grin. 'It might interest you to know that Neville's already got someone.' hisses Hermione. I blink in shock. Even Neville's got a date! Blimey! 'Now I'm really depressed.' grumbles Ron.

Fred passes Ron a note. _'You'd better get a move on or all the good ones will be gone.' _he reads. 'Who are you going with then?' Ron hisses. Fred throws a paper at Angelina Johnson. 'Hey Angelina. Do you want to go to the ball with me?' he mouthes. Angelina grins at him. 'Cool. Yeah.' she whispers. Fred winks at Ron happily.

'Who are you planning on asking Harry?' whispers Ron. I smile at him slyly and say 'I'm not asking anyone.' Ron and Hermione stare at me in shock. 'Harry, you have to have a date if you're going to dance at the ball!' she hisses.

I smirk at them both. 'Who said I was dancing?' I ask, before getting out of my seat. I hand my work in to Snape, then walk out of the Great Hall without a word, leaving a very confused Ron and Hermione in my wake.

**To Be Continued. Next chapter is the Yule Ball itself and the champions shock the whole party! Until next time- R&R!**


	6. The Yule Ball

**The Yule Ball**

_**Hello everybody! I am so, so happy with the response this story is getting. Last time I counted, this story has had over 4700 hits! It's just fantastic! Thanks to everyone for their reviews and responses. I hope you all enjoy this new chapter. I own nothing in this story. Not the characters, not the songs, nothing.**_

Christmas Day and the day of the Yule Ball finally arrives. This is the night. I'm really excited but nervous as well.

'Oi! Presents!' says Ron, snapping me back to reality. I reach towards the foot of my bed and start unwrapping. Aside from a tissue from the Dursleys- which immediately goes out the window!- I've gotten some fantastic presents this year. Hermione's given me a book that I'll actually read, _Quidditch Teams of Britain and Ireland_, Ron got me a big bag of Dungbombs, my godfather Sirius Black has sent me a great penknife and my good friend Hagrid has given me a big box of sweets. I hope I don't get sick! Mrs Weasley has sent me a hand- knitted jumper and some mince pies. Mrs Weasley has always been so kind. She's kind of like a second mother to me.

'Harry...these are your dress robes.' says Ron, unwrapping my present to him. I got him a Chudley Cannon hat (his favorite Quidditch team) and I decided to spare him from humiliation tonight. I grin at him. 'Yes, they are. I'm giving them to you. That way you won't have to go in your own dress robes to the ball.' I tell him. 'What? Really? Harry, you're the best!' says Ron delightedly. Then he pauses. 'But wait. What are _you _going to wear for the Ball?' he asks. I just smile at him. 'You'll just have to wait and see...' I say.

I've gotten presents for the other champions as well. It took me ages to find something good for them all. I've gotten Fleur a silver bracelet with her initails F.D. on it. I found a snowglobe for Viktor- but not just any snowglobe! Instead of glitter, there are tiny Quidditch players flying all around a miniture stadium inside. I got one of the Bulgarian Quidditch team- Viktor's the Seeker. I got something for Cedric that I wish I'd got for myself- a watch in the shape of a snitch. I'm really tempted to keep it for myself, but I know I can't. I got a yellow one for Cedric, the colour of Hufflepuff house.

I leave Ron and Hermione at breakfast, saying there's a meeting for the champions, then rush up and get the presents. I hurry to the Room of Requirement, where we all agreed to discuss tonight and exchange presents.

'Hey Harry! Happy Christmas!' greets Fleur. 'Happy Christmas!' Cedric and Viktor cheer. I laugh. 'Happy Christmas! And here are your presents!' I say and hand them out.

Fleur squeals in delight when she unwraps her bracelet. 'Harry, it is beautiful! Merci!' she says, kissing me on the cheek, leaving me red- faced. 'Aw! This is amazing!' smiles Viktor, pulling out his snowglobe. 'It's wonderful! Thanks Harry!' I watch as Cedric opens his present... then bursts out laughing. What's so funny?

'D-don't you like it?' I ask, feeling hurt. 'Open... yours...' he splutters. I take my present from Cedric and unwrap it to reveal... a watch in the shape of a snitch. A red one for Gryffindor!

I burst out laughing too. 'It's perfect Harry. Thanks a lot.' smiles Cedric, slipping it on his wrist. 'Thank you Cedric for this beauty!' I grin, putting my new watch on. 'Here's your present from me.' says Viktor, handing me a package. I open it and find a little model of me, flying on my Firebolt. 'Where did you get this?' I gasp. 'Let's just say, I have some friends.' he smiles. 'It's amazing Viktor, thank you.' I say. Fleur's present is a book- _A Seeker's Rise To Stardom: Famous Quidditch Seekers of All Time. _'Now this is a history book, I'll never get bored of! Thank you Fleur!' I smile. 'My pleasure Harry!'

After the others exchange their presents, we discuss tonight. We haven't told anyone about our plans. We're going to sneak into the Great Hall a half- hour before the Yule Ball starts so we can get set up. We've been practicing all sorts of different songs so tonight we're going to blow everyone away!

_Half an hour before the Yule Ball..._

'Okay, the coast is clear.' says Cedric, peering around the corner. 'Alright, let's move.' I whisper. The four of us quickly rush to the doors and slip into the Great Hall.

Woah... is this really the Great Hall? The four of us look around in amazement at its transformation. Icicles hang down from the ceiling, the tallest Christmas tree that I have ever seen stands in the centre of the room and- oh, brilliant! There's a stage for the Hogwarts marching band... and for us.

Without any further ado, we rush onto the stage to get our stuff ready. Viktor sets up his drums, I prepare the microphone stands, Fleur organises her customised piano and Cedric pulls out his new guitar. Thanks to a handy little charm he's learned, he's turned it into one of those electric guitars you get in the Muggle world. Only his guitar runs on magic, not electricity.

'Hold on, I have an idea.' says Fleur. _'Extinctum!' _she whispers and the candles around the stage go out. 'Now we'll really take everyone by surprise.' she smiles. 'Brilliant Fleur, now all we need to do is...' starts Cedric, then he looks at his snitch watch. 'Quick! They're going to start filling up the hall any minute! Let's get our gear on!' he says.

We rush behind the stage, into cubicles that Viktor's conjured for us. I pull off my clothes and step into black jeans, and white shirt with the collar undone. I look into the mirror. Hmm, I don't look too bad. I head out of the cubicle and look at the others.

Cedric and Viktor are both wearing the same outfit as me. Fleur's wearing a blue sparkly halter dress that stops just above the knee. She's let her hair down and fixed a sparkly blue clip on one side. She looks amazing. 'Alright, everyone ready?' I ask. 'Let's do this!'

We sneak up onto the stage and see the hall filling up with couples. I can see Ron (looking very well in my dress robes) and Hermione- or is it Hermione? I didn't recognise her at first with her hair all sleek and her pink dress. She looks beautiful.- coming in. They're both looking around trying to find me. Oh they'll find me soon enough.

Professor McGonagall comes up to Dumbledore who's very near the stage. 'Minerva, are the champions ready?' he asks. 'That's the problem Albus. None of the champions are to be found. Nobody has seen any of them all evening.' she tells him. Cedric and I grin at each other.

'If we're going to perform, we need to get their attention.' I whisper. 'I have an idea.' whispers Cedric, pulling out his wand. _'Periculum!'_ he hisses pointing at the ceiling. A red firework shoots out and explodes over the crowd. Everyone stops talking and stares at the stage. Quickly Fleur starts playing the piano. I close my eyes and open my mouth. _'Lumos!' _hisses Viktor, lighting up the stage.

_Set Fire To The Rain by Adele_

_(Harry)_

'_I let it fall, my heart,_

_And as it fell you rose to claim it_

_It was dark and I was over_

_Until you kissed my lips and you saved me._

_My hands, they're strong_

_But my knees were far too weak,_

_To stand in your arms_

_Without falling to your feet_

_But there's a side to you_

_That I never knew, never knew._

_All the things you'd say_

_They were never true, never true,_

_And the games you play_

_You would always win, always win._

_[Chorus:]_

_But I set fire to the rain,_

_Watched it pour as I touched your face,_

_Well, it burned while I cried_

_'Cause I heard it screaming out your name, your name!_

_When I lay with you_

_I could stay there_

_Close my eyes_

_Feel you here forever_

_You and me together_

_Nothing gets better_

_'Cause there's a side to you_

_That I never knew, never knew,_

_All the things you'd say,_

_They were never true, never true,_

_And the games you'd play_

_You would always win, always win._

_[Chorus:]_

_But I set fire to the rain,_

_Watched it pour as I touched your face,_

_Well, it burned while I cried_

_'Cause I heard it screaming out your name, your name!_

_I set fire to the rain_

_And I threw us into the flames_

_When it fell, something died_

_'Cause I knew that that was the last time, the last time!_

_Sometimes I wake up by the door,_

_That heart you caught must be waiting for you_

_Even now when we're already over_

_I can't help myself from looking for you._

_[Chorus:]_

_I set fire to the rain,_

_Watched it pour as I touched your face,_

_Well, it burned while I cried_

_'Cause I heard it screaming out your name, your name_

_I set fire to the rain,_

_And I threw us into the flames_

_When it fell, something died_

_'Cause I knew that that was the last time, the last time, ohhhh!_

_Oh noooo_

_Let it burn, oh_

_Let it burn_

_Let it burn...'_

I can hear screaming. I open my eyes. Everyone is cheering like mad, their hands in the air. 'Your turn Cedric.' I whisper. Cedric grins and stands behind the mike. 'Ladies and gents, as you all know the Triwizard Tournament is all about 'international magical cooperation'. But I don't think any of you expected this. We're not just your Triwizard Champions. We are 'United We Stand.' The exceptionally talented seeker, Viktor Krum of Dumstrang-' All of the Durmstrang boys roar in approval. 'The beautiful Beauxbatons lady, Fleur Delacour-' The Beauxbatons cheer delightedly.

'The Handsome Hufflepuff, Cedric Diggory.' I cut in. The Hufflepuffs scream in delight. 'And of course, the daring and brave Harry Potter!' finishes Cedric. The Gryffindors cheer happily, Ron and Hermione among them. 'And tonight, we're gonna perform for you all until we cna perform no more!' Cedric says to the crowd. Everyone cheers. 'Let's get this party started!' grins Cedric, strumming his guitar.

_Superman by Five For Fighting_

_(Cedric)_

'_I can't stand to fly_

_I'm not that naïve_

_I'm just out to find_

_The better part of me_

_I'm more than a bird,_

_I'm more than a plane_

_I'm more than some pretty face beside a train_

_It's not easy to be me_

_I wish that I could cry_

_Fall upon my knees_

_Find a way to lie_

_'Bout a home I'll never see_

_It may sound absurd but don't be naïve_

_Even heroes have the right to bleed_

_I may be disturbed but won't you concede_

_Even Heroes have the right to dream_

_And it's not easy to be me_

_Up, up and away, away from me_

_Well, it's alright_

_You can all sleep sound tonight_

_I'm not crazy or anything_

Everyone's dancing like mad as Cedric sings. They must really like this idea. I see Ron and Hermione dancing like loonatics nearby. They seem to be enjoying themselves!

_(Cedric)_

_I can't stand to fly_

_I'm not that naïve_

_Men weren't meant to ride_

_With clouds between their knees_

_I'm only a man in a silly red sheet_

_Digging for kryptonite on this one way street_

_Only a man in a funny red sheet_

_Looking for special things inside of me_

_Inside of me, inside of me _

_I'm only a man in a silly red sheet_

_Digging for kryptonite on this one way street_

_Only a man in a funny red sheet_

_Looking for special things inside of me_

_Inside of me, inside of me _

_I'm only a man in a funny red sheet_

_I'm only a man looking for her dream_

_I'm only a man in a funny red sheet_

_It's not easy._

_It's not easy to be me.' _

As the song finishes, everyone cheers and begs for more. 'Come on Harry. It's time for us Hogwarts champions to shine.' he says.

_Hasn't Hit Me Yet by Blue Rodeo_

_(Harry)_

'_You say that you're leaving_

_Well, that comes as no surprise_

_Still I kinda like this feelin'_

_Of being left behind'_

_(Cedric)_

'_This ain't nothing new to me_

_Well, it's just like goin' home_

_It's kinda like those sunsets_

_That leave you feelin' so stoned'_

_(Harry and Cedric)_

'_Hey, hey, I guess it hasn't hit me yet_

_I fell through this crack and I kinda lost my head_

_I stand transfixed before this street light_

_Watching the snow fall on this cold December night'_

_(Harry)_

'_Never thought this could happen_

_But somehow the feeling is gone_

_You got sick of the patterns_

_And I got lost in this song'_

_(Harry and Cedric)_

'_Hey, hey, I guess it hasn't hit me yet_

_I fell through this crack and I kinda lost my head_

_I stand transfixed before this street light_

_Watching the snow fall on this cold December night_

_Hey, hey, I guess it hasn't hit me yet_

_I fell through this crack and I kinda lost my head_

_I stand transfixed before this street light_

_Watching the snow fall on this cold December night'_

_(Cedric)_

'_And out in the middle of the lake Ontario_

_The same snow is falling_

_On the deep silent water_

_The great dark wonder_

_Into the waves of my heart_

_Into the waves of my heart_

_Of my heart'_

The room erupts into cheers again. I can hear two familiar voices shout 'Amazing Harry!' I look down and see Ron and Hermione waving at me. I grin at them and address the crowd.

'Now while Cedric and I give our voices a break, Fleur is going to take the mike now.' The two of us head to the backing mikes. The Beauxbatons cheer as Fleur slides behind the mike. She smiles cheekily at the crowd. 'This song is for a certain someone. If they could see me now, they'd realise that the Fleur Delacour they knew is gone.' she says. Cedric strums his guitar, Viktor taps out a beat and Fleur starts to sing.

_She's So Gone by Lemonade Mouth_

_(Fleur)_

'_Insecure_

_In her skin_

_Like a puppet, a girl on a string_

_Broke away_

_Learned to fly_

_If you want her back, gotta let her shine_

_So it looks like the joke's on you_

_'Cause the girl that you thought you knew_

_She's so gone_

_That's so over now_

_She's so gone_

_You won't find her around_

_You can look but you won't see_

_The girl I used to be_

_'Cause she's_

_She's so gone_

_Here I am_

_This is me_

_And I'm stronger than you ever thought I'd be_

_Are you shocked?_

_Are you mad?_

_That you're missing out on who I really am_

_Now it looks like the joke's on you_

_'Cause the girl that you thought you knew_

_She's so gone_

_That's so over now_

_She's so gone_

_You won't find her around_

_You can look but you won't see_

_The girl I used to be_

_'Cause she's_

_She's so gone away_

_Like history_

_She's so gone_

_Baby, this is me, yeah_

_She's so gone_

_That's so over now_

_She's so gone_

_You won't find her around_

_You can look but you won't see_

_The girl I used to be_

_'Cause she's_

_She's so gone_

_(That's so over now)_

_She's so gone_

_(You won't find her around)_

_You can look but you won't see_

_The girl I used to be_

_'Cause she's_

_She's so gone_

_So long_

_She's so gone, she's so gone... gone, gone, gone.' _

Woah, that was brilliant. The crowd is really getting heated up here.

_A few hours later..._

It's coming up to midnight now. We're all thirsty and exhausted, but from the look on everybody's faces it was well worth it. Cedric speaks into the mike.

'Alright this is the last song for tonight-' but he's cut off by a stream of 'Aw!' He grins and says 'All good things must come to an end. But please all of you, enjoy this last song for tonight... and we _might _perform for you all again soon.'

_It's Time by Imagine Dragons_

_(Cedric)_

'_So this is what you meant_

_When you said that you were spent_

_And now it's time to build from the bottom of the pit_

_Right to the top_

_Don't hold back_

_Packing my bags and giving the academy a rain check_

_I don't ever wanna let you down_

_I don't ever wanna leave this town_

_'Cause after all_

_This city never sleeps tonight'_

_(Harry and Cedric)_

'_It's time to begin, isn't it?_

_I get a little bit bigger but then I'll admit_

_I'm just the same as I was_

_Now don't you understand_

_That I'm never changing who I am'_

_(Harry)_

'_So this is where you fell_

_And I am left to sell_

_The path to heaven runs through miles of clouded hell_

_Right to the top_

_Don't look back_

_Turning the rags and giving the commodities a rain check_

_I don't ever wanna let you down_

_I don't ever wanna leave this town_

_'Cause after all_

_This city never sleeps tonight'_

_(Harry and Cedric)_

'_It's time to begin, isn't it?_

_I get a little bit bigger but then I'll admit_

_I'm just the same as I was_

_Now don't you understand_

_That I'm never changing who I am_

_It's time to begin, isn't it?_

_I get a little bit bigger but then I'll admit_

_I'm just the same as I was_

_Now don't you understand_

_That I'm never changing who I am_

_(Harry)_

'_This road never looked so lonely_

_This house doesn't burn down slowly_

_To ashes, to ashes'_

_(Harry and Cedric)_

'_It's time to begin, isn't it?_

_I get a little bit bigger but then I'll admit_

_I'm just the same as I was_

_Now don't you understand_

_That I'm never changing who I am_

_It's time to begin, isn't it?_

_I get a little bit bigger but then I'll admit_

_I'm just the same as I was_

_Don't you understand_

_That I'm never changing who I am'_

We all smile happily at the cheers and applause, then Viktor mutters _'Extinctum' _and the stage candles go out.

Backstage, we let out a happy cheer. 'That was... that was...' I'm lost for words. 'Outstanding?' suggests Viktor. 'Definitely.' I grin. 'We did just brilliant guys. They just love us!' laughs Cedric. 'Did you see the looks on the headteachers' faces?' asks Fleur. I thought they were all going to pass out, they were that shocked. 'I think we'll be for it tomorrow, but it was worth it.' I smile. 'Absolutely.' agrees Viktor.

'Now, I don't know about you, but I'm going to a lovely warm bed, because I am shattered.' yawns Cedric. 'Me too. I think we all deserve a break from practising. How about no more practice until after the holidays?' I suggest. Everyone agrees and we all say goodnight.

The Grand Staircase is thankfully deserted as I make my way to the Gryffindor Common Room. I give the password to the Fat Lady and step inside.

To my relief, almost everybody has gone to bed. The only people in the room are the two people I want to see the most.

'Harry, you were brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!' squeals Hermione, throwing her arms around me. Ron grins at me in awe. 'So that's what you meant when you said you weren't dancing.' he says. I grin at him. 'Yeah; I wanted to tell you but I wanted it to be a surprise.' I explain.

'Well it was brilliant mate. I never knew you had it in you.' says Ron. 'One of my hidden talents.' I joke. 'Will you remember me when you're famous?' he asks. I laugh at him. 'How could I _ever_ forget _you, _Ronald Weasley?' I say. Ron laughs at me.

'Promise me one thing Harry.' he says seriously. 'What?' I ask. 'Promise me that you'll get me Viktor Krum's autograph?' he asks. I smile. 'Anything for you, my red- headed idiot friend.' I say and Ron grins. 'Come on you two. Let's go to bed.' yawns Hermione.

_A few minutes later..._

I draw the curtains around my bed, snuggling down under the covers. As I drift off to sleep, I very softly whisper-sing part of my special lullaby.

'_It's magic_

_When you are here beside me._

_Close your eyes_

_And let me hold you tight...'_

I close my eyes, my mouth still whispering the soothing words.

'_Everything,_

_That I could ever need is,_

_Right here in my arms... tonight.'_

**To Be Continued. Phew! I need a giant glass of Coke after that long chapter- my longest one yet! Next chapter is preparing for the Second Task. It might take me a little while to get the next chapter up, but hopefully I'll have it done by next week. Until next time- R&R!**


	7. Letter To Sirius

**Letter To Sirius**

_**Hey everyone! The new chapter is here. This is not one of my better chapters but please enjoy it anyway. I own nothing in this story whatsoever.**_

I wake up very late on Boxing Day. By the time I finally open my eyes, it's way past twelve o'clock. My throat is all dry and sore from last night. Still, it was worth it.

The dormitory is empty as I dress into my comfiest clothes. Then I grab my quill and a piece of parchment. I think it's high time that I wrote a letter to Sirius. I want to tell him all about the band and our show last night.

_Dear Sirius,_

_I hope all is well with you. Thanks a lot for the penknife, it's fantastic. _

_I've got a lot to tell you about what's been happening with me recently. Don't worry, it's more good stuff than bad! _

_Well, myself and the other three champions- Cedric Diggory, Fleur Delacour and Viktor Krum- have formed a band. Viktor plays the drums, Fleur plays the piano, Cedric plays the guitar and I sing the main vocals. I'm sure you're very surprised to hear this Sirius, although I can't say I blame you! Nobody expected this to come out of the Triwizard Tournament, let me tell you that! But as Hermione said, it's all about 'international, magical co-operation and to make friends,' Wouldn't you agree?_

_We've been practicing in the Room of Requirement nearly every evening- and we actually performed in public for the first time last night at the Yule Ball! I wish you could have been there Sirius, it was amazing. Everyone- well, everyone except Malfoy, but I kind of expected that!- loved us, once they got over the initial surprise! I thought the headteachers were going to faint, they were that shocked! Viktor says that there will be hell to pay, but it was worth it._

_Don't worry, I haven't forgotten about the actual tournament itself and I'm still working on cracking that egg! Hopefully somehow, I'll be able to decipher the bloody screeching! I'll keep you informed of all that's happening, good or bad._

_Write back soon,_

_Harry._

There that should do it. There's a knock at the door and Hermione comes in.

'Hello sleepyhead.' she grins. I smile at her happily. 'Look what I got.' she says, showing me a piece of paper. It's a photograph of all of us performing last night. 'Wow, where did you get this?' I ask. 'Ginny took it last night, she said you might like it.' she says. 'Oh yes. I think I'll send this to Sirius.' I say. 'Good idea. I'll put a wrinkle free charm on it so it doesn't crease.' says Hermione. As she does that, I write a postscript onto my letter.

_This is a photograph of our band 'United We Stand'. Hope you like it._

'Come on, let's go to the Owlery and we'll post it.' says Hermione.

But as we head down the Grand Staircase, we get ambushed.

'There he is!' 'It's him!' 'Get him quick!'

Suddenly a load of girls come rushing at me, grabbing at my shirt, trying to kiss me! I scream in terror, trying to pull away. 'Leave him alone!' screams Hermione, yanking me away from the girls, grabbing my hand. We make a run for it!

'That was too close!' I pant. Hermione and I have taken refuge in a broomstick cuphoard, waiting until we hear the screaming fade away. 'They love you Harry, because of last night. They would just love to be the one dating the singer from United We Stand.' she tells me. 'Wonderful. This is one thing I forgot when you're in a band. You get hounded at by screaming fan-girls!' I say.

'Tell you what Harry. I'll take the letter to the Owlery. You run and take refuge in the Room of Requirement.' says Hermione. 'You're a saint Hermione! I'll see you later!' I say gratefully.

Cautiously, I hurry to the Room of Requirement. Thankfully, the seventh floor corridor is empty. I slip inside and close the door, sighing with relief.

Phew! Talk about close! I head over to the window, where I used to sit before Fleur found me. I pull away the curtain that's hiding it... and scream! Somebody else screams too!

But it's not another crazed fan-girl. It's Cedric- covered in lipstick! 'What happened to you?' I ask in shock. 'I'll give you three guesses, beginning with crazy girls wanting to kiss me!' he says. 'Are you okay?' I ask. 'Yeah, Cho helped me escape. Out of all the girls, she was the only one who didn't make a grab at me, the minute I walked in the door.' he answers.

'Is she your girlfriend?' I ask carefully. Cedric shakes his head. 'No. Best friend. She's more like a sister than a girlfriend to me.' he says. 'Ah, okay.' I nod. Suddenly, a smirk creeps up on Cedric's face. 'If you like, I could set you up with her.' he says. I feel my face go bright red. 'I'm definitely setting you up with Cho.' he grins. 'Stop it!' I say.

'Anyway, how are you getting on with the egg?' asks Cedric. 'Bad.' I say. 'I think I can help you with it. Do you know the Prefect's Bathroom on the fourth floor?' I nod slowly. 'Well, take the egg and put it under the water. You'll be able to decipher the shrieking then.' he explains. 'Take the egg and put it underwater. Thanks Cedric.' I say gratefully. 'Oh, and the password to the bathroom is _'Pine-fresh._' he adds.

'Okay, I'll take it tonight. Thanks a lot.' I say. 'You told me about the dragons, so it's only fair.' he shrugs.

_A little while later..._

I shrug off my dressing gown and sink into the bubbles. I have to say, this bathroom is impressive. I hope I become a Prefect, then I can use this place properly.

I take my egg and push it underwater. I open it and then sink under the water.

'_Come seek us where our voices sound,_

_We cannot speak above the ground,_

_And while you're searching, ponder this:_

_We've taken what you'll sorely miss,_

_An hour long you'll have to look,_

_And to recover what we took,_

_But past an hour- the prospect's black_

_Too late, it's gone, it won't come back.'_

Air! Air! I gasp for breath as I come up. I push my wet hair out of my eyes and shut the egg. I sit for a few minutes, thinking of the rhyme.

_Come seek us where our voices sound, we cannot speak above the ground... _The creatures I have to face must live underwater. _We've taken what you'll sorely miss... _and they will steal something from me. _An hour long you'll have to look to recover what we took... _I have an hour to find what they've stolen. _But past an hour, the prospect's black. Too late it's gone, it won't come back... _and if I don't find it within the hour, I'll never see it again. Now, it all makes sense! I could kiss Cedric for giving me the clue!

_In the Room of Requirement, a few days later..._

'Glad you figured it out, Harry.' smiles Cedric, passing me some Honeydukes chocolate. 'Yeah, now all I have to do is figure out a way to breathe underwater.' I say.

'I am sure your friend, Hermione can help you. She's a really lovely girl.' says Viktor. 'Oh, you've met her?' I ask. 'Yes. She has been helping me with my work in the library.' he explains.

'How about we practice another song, to refresh ourselves?' suggests Fleur. 'Why not? I've got a good one.' agrees Cedric, picking up his guitar. Viktor picks up his drumsticks and taps out the beat.

_Anastasia by Voltaire_

_*Lyrics in brackets are sung by Harry_

_(Cedric)_

'_There's a field of flowers and they smell like you _

_And I go walking through them when I feel you remember me_

_You know I'd love to pick one for my lapel, but you know_

_there are too many insects watching_

_I'm afraid they'd tell on me_

_And here the skies are neither day nor night_

_In this place where I close my eyes_

_It's like my skin would try so hard to hold it back_

_There's an explosion, it comes raining down _

_You smiled, you smiled at me_

_Anastasia_

_Your disappearance is the thorn in my side_

_Anastasia_

_You know your absence is the thorn in my side_

_I think about you every night and every day_

_Every moment since you left here_

_You were the one that got away as they say_

_Everyone has an Anastasia'_

_Anastasia_

_(I know you're out there, ah)*_

_Your disappearance is the thorn in my side_

_Anastasia_

_(I know you're out there, ah)_

_You know your absence is the thorn in my side_

_I kept your room just how you left it_

_There's not a toy out of place_

_Just in case the fates are kind and you come back someday_

_I don't want to live without my little Anastasia_

_Anastasia_

_(I know you're out there, ah)_

_Your disappearance is the thorn in my side_

_Little Anastasia_

_(I know you're out there, ah)_

_You know your absence is the thorn in my side_

_Little Anastasia_

_(I know you're out there, ah)_

_Your disappearance is the thorn in my side_

_Little Anastasia_

_(I know you're out there, ah)_

_And only you can take the thorn from my side'_

'Nice one Cedric. That was a good choice. Do _you _have an Anastasia?' I ask, cheekily. 'Well, not yet. But I hope I will soon.' he answers, smiling.

**To Be Continued. Next chapter is the Second Task. The hostages are all the same as the book and film, just in case anyone was wondering. I don't know when I'll have the next chapter up, but I'll do my best to have it up soon. Until next time- R&R! **


	8. The Second Task

**The Second Task**

_**Hey everybody! The latest chapter of United We Stand is here! You all have given me great songs, several of which, I'll be using in the next chapter. Hope you all enjoy this one for now. I own nothing in this story. Nothing whatsoever.**_

I am sitting with my head on a book in the library. _On _a book, not _in _a book. Me, Ron and Hermione are looking for something that will help me breath underwater for the Second Task.

Which is tomorrow.

I am screwed.

'Harry, tell me again.' says Hermione. _'Come seek us where our voices sound.' _I sigh. 'The Black Lake, that's obvious.' she says. _'An hour long you'll have to look.' _I continue. 'Again, obvious, though I must admit potentially problematic.' she says. I sit up. "Potentially problematic"? When was the last time you held your breath under the water for an hour Hermione?' I ask wearily. 'Look, Harry, we _can_ do this. The three of us can figure it out.' she says gently.

Just then, Professor Moody appears. 'Hate to break up this scholar session but Professor McGonagall would like to see you in her office.' he says. We start to stand up but he continues 'Not you Potter. Just Weasley and Granger.'

'But sir, the Second Task is just hours away-' argues Hermione but he just says 'Exactly. Presumably Potter is well prepared by now and could do with a good night's sleep. Go. Now!' he orders. Ron and Hermione cast apologetic looks at me and leave.

'Longbottom!' Moody calls. Neville appears from behind a bookcase. 'Why don't you help Potter put his books back?' he says before he leaves.

Neville and I start to stack up the books I've been poring over all day. I might as well just say that I can't do it. I just can't.

'You know, i- if you're interested in plants, you'd be better with Gorshok's Guide to Herbology. Do you know there's a wizard i- in Nepal who's growing gravity-resistant trees?' says Neville nervously. I sigh softly. 'Neville, no offense, but I really don't care about plants. Now, if there's a Tibetan turnip that will allow me to breathe underwater for an hour, then great. But otherwise...' I trail off. 'I don't know about a turnip, but you can always use gillyweed.' Neville tells me.

I blink. 'Gillyweed?' I say in confusion. Neville nods. 'Yeah, it's a plant that lets you breathe underwater.' he tells me. 'Really? Oh, brilliant! But do you know where I can get it Neville?' I ask. 'Yeah, Professor Sprout has a stock of gillyweed in her greenhouses. I can get you some and give it to you tomorrow morning before the task.' he says.

My face lights us delightedly. 'Neville, you just saved my neck! I owe you big time for this!' I say. 'It's nothing really, Harry.' he says, blushing a little.

_The next morning..._

Neville and I walk towards the boats that will take us across the lake. He opens up his hand to reveal a murky green coloured plant. I take it quickly.

'Are you sure about this Neville? For an hour?' I ask him. 'Most likely.' he answers. 'Most likely?' I echo worriedly. 'Well there is some debate among herbologists as to the efforts of freshwater versus saltwater but-' he explains. 'You're telling me this now? You must be joking!' I cry. 'I only wanted to help.' he stammers. In fairness, Neville did find me _something _to let me breathe underwater.

'Well that makes you slightly better than Ron and Hermione?' I tell him. 'Where are they anyway?' I ask softly. Neither of them came back from McGonagal's office last night. Are they not coming? Don't they care that I'm about to enter the Black Lake?

'You seem a little tense Harry.' remarks Neville. 'Do I?' I grimace.

Our boat reaches the starting point of the task. I quickly take off my hoodie and trousers to reveal my swimming outfit for the task- red vest top and shorts. I grasp the gillyweed in my hand.

'Welcome to the second task.' Dumbledore booms out to the crowd. 'Last night something was stolen from each of our champions; a treasure of sorts. These four treasures, one for each champion, now lie on the bottom of the Black Lake. In order to win, each champion need only find their treasure and return to the surface. Simple enough-'

'Put that in your mouth.' Moody growls at me as I walk to the edge. Grimacing, I stuff the gillyweed into my mouth and start chewing.

'-except for this: they will have but one hour to do so, and one hour only. After that, they will be on their own. No magic will save them.' Dumbledore continues.

Oh God, I've never tasted anything more disgusting before! I start coughing, gripping the wood tightly. I can't breathe, I can't breathe...

'You may begin at the sound of the cannon...' Dumbledore is saying.

**BOOM!**

The cannon explodes. Cedric, Viktor and Fleur dive into the water. I can't move, I'm just so desperate for air. Somebody help me!

Suddenly I feel somebody push me and I fall into the water. I twist and turn in the freezing water, growling in pain... and suddenly it stops. I can feel something on my neck. I look down at my feet.

Woah- what happened to them? My feet are webbed- and so are my hands. I've turned into a water creature! This is amazing!

In my excitement, I dash up to the surface and do a power jump, showing off to the crowd. 'Yeah!' I yell happily then fall back into the water.

Alright the fun's over. Time to find my 'treasure.' I wonder what it is.

I swim through the green waters, a shoal of fish following me. Nothing of interest yet. Better hurry though, I only have an hour.

Wait a second, what's that sound? It sounds like... it's the mermaid song! And it's coming from the forest of green vines up ahead. I must be getting close!

I push through the vines, swatting them away from my face. How in the hell am I going to get out of here. I hear movement near me and I turn. I see a girl in a silver swimsuit, pushing through the vines. Fleur turns and sees me. I give her a thumbs-up. She smiles and goes back to pushing her way out of this forest. I turn and do the same.

Suddenly something flashes right past me. A mermaid- or is it a mermaid? It looks nothing like the mermaid in the stained-glass window in the Prefect's Bathroom.- zooms past me towards what looks like fallen rocks up ahead. I quickly follow her, pushing myself upwards.

Mermaids are singing all around me. I stop and look around. I seem to be in some underwater palace... and up ahead I see four people floating gently, their feet tied up with vine.

I swim faster, faster until I reach them. Ron, Hermione, Cho and a little girl. Our treasures. All four of them are asleep, their mouths letting out little bubbles as they sleep.

I swim up to Ron and undo the chain around his feet. The mermaids start shrieking in delight at something. I turn and see Cedric coming towards me, a huge bubble around his face. He casts a spell at the vines around Cho's feet and sets her free. Grabbing her, he turns to me, tapping his watch. I nod at him. Then he takes off, hanging on tight to Cho.

Alright, I've freed Ron, so I'd better free Hermione too. I pull out but a mermaid rushes at me, pointing her weapon at my neck.

'But she's my friend too!' I gurgle. They all hiss at me. 'Only one!' they snarl. Then they are shriek and swim away from me. I turn around-

Yah! Shark! I push myself out of the way just in time.

Hold on a second, it's not a shark, it's Viktor. With a shark's head. Impressive, I have to say. He pulls at Hermione's chain, setting her free. Turning to me, he points up at the surface. I nod at him, then watch as he takes off with Hermione.

I swim up to Ron, latching myself onto him. Time to go.

But then I see the little girl. Where's Fleur? She should be here by now. I look around the murky waters, worriedly. There's no sign of her. I can't leave her hostage behind. I fire at the girl's chains and set her free. I latch onto her and start to drag them both to the surface.

Oh God, they're so heavy. Have to keep going. Why is getting so hard to breathe? I look down at my gills- or should I say feet! The gillyweed's wearing off! I have to hurry!

Suddenly something grabs my feet, dragging me back down. Dozens of water demons lash at me, grabbing my feet, tugging at my hair, scrapping my body. I let go of Ron and the girl, pushing them to the surface. The demons grab at me even more. Get off of me! I can't breathe. I grab my wand and fire one last spell.

The water demons blast off of me, before they scatter. Now's my chance to get to the surface.

But why can't I move?...

So tired...

I can't breathe...

Can't... breathe...

* * *

The crowds roar as Ron and Gabrielle Delacour appear out of the water. Fleur rushes to the steps to help her little sister. But where's Harry?

'Where is he?' whispers a soaked Hermione, her face ashen with worry. 'Vat is taking him so long?' murmurs Viktor. Hermione, grips his arm tightly.

Just then there's a splash. 'What was that?' says Hermione. The two turn to where Cedric is standing... or was standing. A soaked towel lies abandoned on the ground.

The seconds pass. Fleur, Ron and Gabrielle come up beside them, all of them staring down into the water.

And then Cedric bursts out of the water, an unconscious Harry in his arms. 'Grab Harry, quick!' gasps Cedric, lifting Harry up to Viktor. Viktor hoists the young boy onto the ground. Hermione starts pressing her hands on his chest.

* * *

'Breathe! Breathe! Come on Harry, come on!'

_W-what? Who's there? That voice sounds familiar._

'Come on Harry! Open your eyes!'

_Another one. I know that voice. So familiar..._

'Harry, please! Please wake up!'

_They're all at me. Should I do what they say and wake up? It's so peaceful here... _

_No. _

_I have to wake up._

I start coughing, water gushing from my lungs. I cough and splutter, spitting it out. I open my eyes.

'Harry!' 'He's alive!' 'Oh thank God!' 'Thank goodness, you're alright Harry!'

Five faces stare down at me, smiling with relief. I smile back and sit up, my ears being deafened by the screams and cheers.

Somebody wraps a towel around me. 'What happened? How did I get here?' I ask. 'You have Cedric to thank for saving your life. If it hadn't been him, you would have been fish food!' says Hermione.

I turn to Cedric. 'How can I thank you for that Cedric?' I ask. 'I'll think of a way later.' he says grinning at me. Fleur rushes at me. 'You saved her, even though she was not yours to save! My little sister! Oh, thank you Harry!' she cries, kissing me on the cheeks! I blush bright red.

'And you! You helped!' she says, turning to Ron. 'Well- yeah, a bit.' he stammers. She pounces on him, kissing him on the cheeks. I stifle a laugh.

'ATTENTION!' shouts Dumbledore, shocking us all into silence.

'The winner is... Mr. Diggory!' he announces and all of the Hufflepuffs start screaming in delight.

'Who showed unique command of the Bubble-Head Charm.' he continues. 'However, seeing as Mr. Potter would have finished first had it not been for his determination to rescue not only Mr. Weasley, but the others as well, we've agreed to award him... second place...'

What?! 'Second place!' squeals Hermione delightedly.

'...for outstanding moral fibre.' Dumbledore finishes.

'So the Second Task is over and we don't face the next one till June. A celebration I say!' shouts Viktor. 'Featuring United We Stand!' I suggest. 'Everyone invited to the Three Broomsticks tonight! Special guests, United We Stand!' Cedric shouts out to the audience. The crowd erupts into screams and cheers.

We climb out of the boats, our feet touching dry land at last. I see Neville and rush up to him. 'I can't thank you enough for helping me Neville. Without you, I would have been dead meat!' I tell him. Neville looks upset. 'Harry, because of me, you nearly died!' he says. I shake my head. 'No, because of you, I'm through to the Third Task!' I say. 'Come to the Three Broomsticks tonight and celebrate! Plus, as a token of my appreciation, tell me your favorite song, because I'm performing it tonight, specially for you.' Neville's face lights up delightedly. 'Really Harry?' 'Absolutely. So what's your favourite song?' I ask. He whispers into my ear. 'Ah, now that's a great one! I'll do that song no problem!' I grin.

Just then Mr Crouch comes up to us. 'Congratulations Potter. Fine achievement. Well done boy.' he says. 'See you later Harry!' says Neville, heading off back to the castle.

Mr Crouch and I walk along the bank. 'I'm sorry we haven't spoken. After all, your story is one I've heard so many times. And quite remarkable, isn't it? Tragic of course, to lose one's family; never whole again, are we? Still, life goes on, and here we stand.' he says, smiling at me. I smile back, shivering a little. 'I'm sure your parents would be very proud of you today, Potter.' he says softly. Hopefully he's right.

'Bartemius!' says Moody behind us. We turn around. 'Not trying to lure Potter into one of the Ministry's summer internships, are we? The last boy who went into the Department of Mysteries never came out!' he says.

Mr Crouch stares at Moody for a long moment, before he slowly walks off. 'And they say I'm mad.' says Moody, swigging from his flask.

What was that all about?

Probably just an old dispute that never got healed. I shrug it off and head back to the castle to get dry and ready for tonight!

**To Be Continued. Next chapter, the band performs at the Three Broomsticks, and Harry gets two surprises, one good, one bad. Until next time- R&R!**


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